Page 100 of Why Not Us?

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Nate Sinclair.”

“Derek? Why are you answering Adalie’s phone? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. She’s been having a little issue lately where she’s checking her phone every three seconds, waiting forsomeone… to call.”

I wince.

He continues. “So she’s been giving her phone to one of us when she hangs out so she can be more present. It was my turn today. Imagine my delight when you call while she’s upstairs and I’m down here, so I can talk to you on my own. If I remember correctly, you swore on your motorcycle that you weren’t going to hurt my best friend.”

“I’m trying to fix it. Can you give her the phone?”

“No.”

I blink in surprise. I hadn’t expected him to say no. “Excuse me?”

“Listen. I know she wants to forgive you. But it’s been a week, Nate. That kind of thing warrants more than just a phone call. I’m thinking in person, maybe a little light groveling. What do you think?”

I groan, rubbing a hand over my face. “Where is she?”

“It’s the last Monday of the month. Where do you think she is?”

The last Monday of each month, she goes to Derek’s house with her friends, to play board games, of all things.

“I’ll be there soon.”

“Text me when you get here. We’re upstairs on the deck. I’ll come down and let you in.”

He hangs up without saying goodbye, and I head out to the car. I consider driving directly to Derek’s house, but he’s right. It’s been a week. She’s been waiting for me to get my head out of my ass this whole time. She even came to my house, and I didn’t do anything to apologize. She’s well within her rights to tell me to fuck off.

I can’t show up empty-handed, so I stop at Granville Island. I usually hate going to Granville Island, especially if I’m in the car. It’s busy and there’s never anywhere to park, but I can get everything I need from the Public Market. I rush through the crowds to the three different vendors. Each of them has exactly what I want, so I buy the gifts and drive to Derek’s house, parking outside. I send him a text and he meets me at the door, smiling when he sees the things I’ve brought.

“Good start,” he says.

I scowl. “Where is she?”

“Upstairs. Come on.”

I follow him up two flights of stairs to his rooftop deck. The sun is shining brightly, and there she is, in a pretty purple dress, a sun hat on her head with a purple ribbon that matches her dress exactly.

“Nate?” she says, standing. “What are you doing here?”

I feel the pressure of everyone’s eyes on me. I’ve always hated crowds, even though this one only consists of seven people, including Adalie. That’s six people too many.

“Do we have to do this here?” I ask, casting a look around. There’s Derek and his fiancée, Ava, and her sister, Lacey. Then there’s Spencer, Lis, and Vic. All Adalie’s friends. All looking at me expectantly. When I return my attention to Adalie, she’s standing with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised, seeming one second away from tapping her foot impatiently.

“Fine.” I take a breath. How was I going to do this? I had this whole speech mapped out on the drive over, but now my mind is completely blank. Everyone is still staring, including Adalie, her friends rallied around her, to protect her. From me.

“I brought you these,” I say, handing her a bouquet of purple and white flowers. “You said you don’t have a favourite flower, but your favourite colour is purple.”

She takes them from me without saying anything.

“But everyone brings flowers when they want to apologize. So I also brought you this.” I hand her the small bag from Granville Island Tea Company. “It’s Cream of Earl Grey. Your… favourite. And this.” I hand her the small box from Stuart’s Bakery. “It’s a strawberry shortcake.”

“How did you…” She looks from the single-serving cake back to me.

“You mentioned it. On your birthday. Lis made your favourite. Strawberry shortcake.”

“But that was five months ago. In March,” she says.

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